Other name(s)

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The Falcon was designed in the mid-1990s and produced by Zbrojovka Vsetín Inc. (now known as ZVI Inc.) and developed for land and special forces. The rifle has been produced since 1998 and has since been adopted by the Czech Military.[1]

The rifle is designed to be able to destroy light armored fighting vehicles up to a distance of 1,600 metres (5,200 feet; 0.99 miles; 1,700 yards), as well as allowing for protection of certain "strategic civil and military objects" such as airfields and power stations.[2]

The Falcon is a bullpup bolt-action anti-materiel rifle. The bolt has two locking lugs and is notably very similar to what is seen on many Mauser rifles.

The rifle uses a two-round internal box magazine, but it appears that this feature is hardly ever used; the rifle is usually treated as a single-shot rifle and is used as such during training.[3]

The weapon's muzzle brake is stated by publications to be "distinctive" and appears to be very effective in its designed role; the muzzle brake appears to not produce a gas or propellant cloud of some sort whenever the weapon is firing due to effective gas dispersal. The shoulder stock of the rifle has shock-absorbing padding to dampen the recoil for the shooter.[1]

The most notable feature about the rifle, however, is its ability to be disassembled. The weapon can be disassembled into two components (receiver and barrel) with the bipod and scope still attached; the weapon can then be stowed into a case after being disassembled. Special "para-cases" are also available for storing this weapon which are to be used by paratroopers.

The rifle uses two types of scopes; the ZD10×50 daytime sight and the ZN6× optical passive night sight.[2]

The Falcon has two main variants, the OP 96 and OP 99. The OP 96 appears to be the more common variant; the OP 99 is essentially an OP 96 chambered in a different caliber, lightened and has a shorter barrel.

There appears to also be multiple sub-variants of the OP 96 known as the OP 96N and the OP 96 BÚ. What sets them apart from the normal OP 96 is unknown as these variants appear to not have been published in any official publications.